What does « To unveil / To exile » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word To unveil / To exile (جلو) in the Quran, with 5 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

جلو

To unveil / To exile

Root: ج - ل

Creed (aqida) 5 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 3 min read

Definition of To unveil / To exile

The origin of al-jalw: apparent unveiling.

One says 'ajlaytu al-qawm 'an manâzilihim fa-jalaw 'anhâ' (I made the people leave their dwellings and they left them).

Allah says: 'When it unveils (tajallâ)' (Ash-Shams: 3).

Al-tajallî is the clear and brilliant manifestation.

To unveil / To exile in the Quran (5)

Meccan: 4 Medinan: 1

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-A'raf 2

Al-Hashr 1

Ash-Shams 1

Al-Layl 1

Surah Al-A'raf : 143 Meccan

﴿وَلَمَّا جَآءَ مُوسَىٰ لِمِيقَٰتِنَا وَكَلَّمَهُۥ رَبُّهُۥ قَالَ رَبِّ أَرِنِىٓ أَنظُرْ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ لَن تَرَىٰنِى وَلَٰكِنِ ٱنظُرْ إِلَى ٱلْجَبَلِ فَإِنِ ٱسْتَقَرَّ مَكَانَهُۥ فَسَوْفَ تَرَىٰنِى فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّىٰ رَبُّهُۥ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُۥ دَكًّا وَخَرَّ مُوسَىٰ صَعِقًا فَلَمَّآ أَفَاقَ قَالَ سُبْحَٰنَكَ تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَأَنَا۠ أَوَّلُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ﴾

And when Moses arrived at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said, "My Lord, show me [Yourself] that I may look at You." [Allah] said, "You will not see Me, but look at the mountain; if it should remain in place, then you will see Me." But when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He rendered it level, and Moses fell unconscious. And when he awoke, he said, "Exalted are You! I have repented to You, and I am the first of the believers."

Surah Al-A'raf : 187 Meccan

﴿يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلسَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَىٰهَا قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ رَبِّى لَا يُجَلِّيهَا لِوَقْتِهَآ إِلَّا هُوَ ثَقُلَتْ فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ لَا تَأْتِيكُمْ إِلَّا بَغْتَةً يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ كَأَنَّكَ حَفِىٌّ عَنْهَا قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ﴾

They ask you, [O Muhammad], about the Hour: when is its arrival? Say, "Its knowledge is only with my Lord. None will reveal its time except Him. It lays heavily upon the heavens and the earth. It will not come upon you except unexpectedly." They ask you as if you are familiar with it. Say, "Its knowledge is only with Allah, but most of the people do not know."

Surah Al-Hashr : 3 Medinan

﴿وَلَوْلَآ أَن كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْجَلَآءَ لَعَذَّبَهُمْ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَلَهُمْ فِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ عَذَابُ ٱلنَّارِ﴾

And if not that Allah had decreed for them evacuation, He would have punished them in [this] world, and for them in the Hereafter is the punishment of the Fire.

Surah Ash-Shams : 3 Meccan

﴿وَٱلنَّهَارِ إِذَا جَلَّىٰهَا﴾

And [by] the day when it displays it

Surah Al-Layl : 2 Meccan

﴿وَٱلنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّىٰ﴾

And [by] the day when it appears